I am a 1965 graduate of Strong Vincent High School and proud of that accomplishment. Our class has had a reunion every five years since 1970. Through the years we've seen our children graduate from that great high school. It is a landmark on Erie's west side. It's academic and athletic programs have always been top-shelf. Renovations took place a few years ago, totally past due. The Erie School District spent millions on those renovations.

Over the years, a lot of great teachers and coaches passed through those halls, not to mention great students. To see this high school end after 87 glorious years is a crime. It is a legendary school with all of its history. There has to be an alternative solution the Erie School Board has in mind.

It will be a sad day for the city of Erie if that high school gets reduced to a middle school. Outstanding athletic and academic students will be shuffled around with the chances of losing scholarship funds. I am hoping other arrangements can be made. I would like my granddaughter to be a Strong Vincent graduate, just like her dad and grandparents. Go Colonels.

— William Galleur, Erie

Punishment is good way

to keep schools orderly

In response to Ronald Dodge's letter to the editor recently, may I put in my reality check? I graduated in 1945 from Academy High School. While walking by the principal's office, I heard "Skipped school, did you?" Smack, smack, smack! The principal was spanking a truant. This was common in the 1940s. I am not aware of punishment today in schools. Would someone enlighten me? What do principals do now? I was hit with a ruler on my hand at Garfield School in first grade for talking in class. It worked.

Teachers are there to teach. Disruption is not conducive to learning and neither is skipping school. Teachers are a substitute for parents. It is a thankless job. My son had his new suit smothered with mustard in Pittsburgh in an unruly classroom. He vowed never to teach again. I can't blame him. Parents do not do their job. My grandmother punished me if I was held after school for talking in class. It worked. We expect our teachers to do our job, raising our children. Sometimes that backfires. If we want well-behaved children, we must start training them at home.

I believe in punishment. My children were brought up the old-fashioned way. They got spanked by their father if they gave me a hard time during the day. I graduated with honors. I paid attention in class. I did not skip school. I loved my teachers, I did my homework. I went to college. I never got rich but I always got a job. School is a gift.

Teachers substitute for parents much of the time. Twelve years in school shapes our lives. A good teacher is worth his weight in gold. I've heard of bad ones but I never had one. Thank God that someone with scruples is teaching our children. Shame on the ones who are not doing their jobs.

A child is molded for good or bad. Teachers take note. It is not just a job. Teaching is an obligation to a precious life. We trust you to do your job. And that job is teaching a child what he needs to know to succeed in this world. You are molding a child. Shame on you if you take advantage of a trusting human. Do your jobs. You will answer to your maker if you don't.

— Eva Bretz, Erie

Can America trust Kushner

with nation's business?

Now that Jared Kushner has been given the job of running our nation's business from the White House by our elected President Donald Trump, this should surely make the Trump voters ecstatic. Now the president can spend more time in Florida doing what he does best — golfing, tweeting and watching the world go by without a care in the world. After all, Kushner is taking care of things.

Kushner and Ivanka Trump have the president's ear now and will surely do a bang-up job protecting the American people as only they can.

Just wondering. What did people miss when they voted for someone with no political experience, no military service to our country, no background in relations with other countries' governments and only hyperbole to get him by?

With extreme issues like Syria, Russia and North Korea, which is threatening our country and others with nuclear conflagration, just what will Kushner do now?

— Joe Michalski, Girard

Democrats should get over

last fall's election results

Why in the world are people still complaining about election results that occurred six months ago? People all over the world think we Americans are crazy! Are we? Are there not more pressing issues to address? What is done is done. Not everyone I voted for got elected. But I am not out protesting in the streets, or worse yet damaging businesses, injuring fellow citizens or tying up our law enforcement officers while other needs are more prevalent. How about placing our government in knots (at a virtual standstill while nothing gets done) arguing, debating and forming committees while our American taxpayers' money is going to waste? The politicians don't care; but we citizens should.

Get over it!

Both Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party and Donald Trump and the Republican Party knew the rules they were playing under way before the election. Electoral votes folks, not popular votes. You don't change the rules because your favorite candidate didn't win. What in the heck do you want us all to do? Have another very money-consuming election?

I hated (strong word) the kid — admit it, we all did — who had to take his basketball, football or baseball with them and go home (even chalk or crayons when we were younger) because everyone wanted to play the game one way, but him another. I see you out there! Get on with life.

What about our children? What about our safety? What about our jobs? Locally, what about our schools? Come on you all.

Please, let's focus on our needy, our poor, especially our children, and even try this out for size — maybe our Lord Jesus Christ — and things can and will get better.